Fatal Brain-Eating Amoeba Claims Another Life in Georgia

A resident of Georgia has died from a rare brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, after likely being infected while swimming in a freshwater lake or pond. The amoeba, which destroys brain tissue and causes brain swelling, is found in warm freshwater environments but not in saltwater or properly treated water. This deadly infection is rare, with only about three cases reported in the US each year, but it is usually fatal. Symptoms include severe headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting, and can progress rapidly to stiff neck, seizures, and coma. The Georgia Department of Public Health advises limiting water going up the nose to reduce the risk of infection.